Rebecca Smith

Rebecca Smith, CEO, has been with Social Enterprise Kent since 2005. Rebecca is an experienced senior manager leading large teams working with a wide range of voluntary, community & social enterprise organisations (VCSEs), local authorities and funding partners to implement and deliver a diverse range of successful projects to support individuals and business in our communities across Kent.

With a MA in HR Business Partnership, a postgraduate diploma in management, and an adult teaching qualification, Rebecca loves upskilling social enterprises and charities to help them grow and develop. Rebecca represents Kent based VCSEs on the national Social Enterprise Places committee, and the South East LEP social enterprise, digital skills and skills advisory subgroups.

Rebecca is passionate about social enterprise, communities and empowering people and is proud of helping make a difference in people’s lives.

Peter Tomlinson

Peter Tomlinson, Director of Operations -

Peter has been with Social Enterprise Kent since June 2018 having worked in a number of roles prior to this one. Peter has worked in the Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector for over 20 years with a number of local and national organisations.

Peter studied at the University of Ulster and completed the Developing Managers Programme and a postgraduate advance diploma in “Sustainability in the Third Sector”, he is passionate about helping people, overseas development and travel.

Claire Shelton

Claire Shelton, Director of Wellbeing -

Claire has been with Social Enterprise Kent since 2017 and is a committed VCSE professional with extensive strategic experience in project management and performance improvement in both the community and public sector. She is passionate about supporting grassroot groups to grow and thrive, developing responses to the issues that they face.

Claire leads a number of multi partner programmes across East Kent focusing on community health and wellbeing.

Healthy Communities is a lottery funded programme connecting VCSE organisations and health at both strategic and local grassroot levels, with the long term aim of creating lasting relationships to tackle health inequalities, and evidencing the impact of the VCSE sector on health outcomes.

Our enhanced social prescribing service and community wellbeing programmes are delivered across East Kent to support older people in all communities to age well and are part of the wider preventative agenda.

The Home and Well programme is supporting hospital discharge for pathway 1 & 2 patients and out of hours support across East Kent.

Anthony Sands

Anthony Sands, Director of Community projects -

Anthony joined Social Enterprise Kent in 2021 and has a wealth of experience in encouraging multi-agency partners to work in collaboration to achieve shared goals and targets for the benefit of the community. Anthony has been a strategic leader of a variety organisations in London, Kent and Medway and is passionate about having a positive impact with some of the most disadvantaged communities through innovative working.

Anthony has a Masters in Early Years, he has completed the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL) and is a Solihull Approach and Phoenix Programme Trainer. Anthony leads on the SEKs Community Projects including Digital Inclusion, Food Alliance and Networks, and other funded projects.